maybe controversial but want to know...ladies bronze vancouver

I am not unhappy with the podium. I was unhappy how the judges inflated the scores. Also, I feel if Mao had better music, choreo, costume, she might have eked out the gold. I still liked Yu-na's skates but don't get caught up in any hype or national bias, maybe because I'm old and have watched a lot and heard so much hyperbole from all those commentators over the years!

For me, they both made a case for gold. I wish it were another tie but I fully expected Yu-na to get gold regardless.

But the question here( and I tread lightly in respect to canada's heroine),is this... was it a gift (bronze) to Joannie for her years of work, the tragic circumstances, the host country? I mean would Canada have gotten really upset if Mirai got third given her excellent, and to many, best performances of the night ladies comp?

I remember being glad (as an American) that Canada won that hockey game as the closing ceremony right after would have been wakelike if they lost. It seemed fitting and a big happy ending that Canada should have won. (I don't care a fig about hockey and I'm not very nationalistic, BTW). I feel Mirai skated lights out, easily earned the bronze, but I'm not upset Jo Ro won. I am a fan of her skating, but found it very nerve wracking and upsetting to watch. Some were inspired. I was just awed and fearful for her.

I have a feeling the entire country of Canada would have been very upset had JO Ro not made the podium. Given that Mirai was 16 and at her first Oly, its easy for judges and others to think, she's got another chance. But we know anything can and does go wrong with most of these elite skaters...honest thoughts about the result? Totally fair? Or the only possible correct result given the circumstances?

I was genuinely impressed with Joannie's sp and her superhuman concentration. I could not see the judges giving a girl like that less than bronze, despite the mistakes. I've rewatched the skates but am no technical expert like some fans here on GS. Honest opinions all respected....

In my opinion, Joannie Rochette could legitimately lay claim to the Silver medal as opposed to just a Bronze. In Vancouver, when Mao Asada poped her first toe loop attempt, in my opinion, her second single toe loop should count as her 7th and final jumping pass. As a result, her last jump, a Double Axel should be voided as an 8th jumping pass and therefore, not given any value. Given that element worth 4.85 at the end, if it was voided as it should have been, then Rochette should have gotten the Silver. I was convinced that's what should have happened when I saw it live there in the Coliseum. Somehow, the ISU was very worried about any controversy in Vancouver and the Technical Panel was clearly not going to get dragged into a potentialy explosive call - just imagine how Japan would have reacted if the call to void Asada's last Double Axel as an 8th jumping pass had been called. Despite that, I refused to believe the call was anything but an honest attempt to deal with the situation as opposed to some conspiracy theory that some people spreaded re: Japanese companies have basically stacked the cards against Kim and Rochette for that event seeing that most of the major corporate sponsors are Japanese. In hindsight though, seeing how Yu-Na Kim's layback spin was voided in her Torino SP, it does make me cringe a little bit because Asada's error in Vancouver was almost identical to that of Kim but the difference in treatment is almost inexplicable. Yet, we never heard from the Canadians complaining about the results though even though Skate Canada could have filed a protest. My guess is nobody was in a mood for another controversy, especially given the tragedy that Rochette was facing at that time.

As for the chatter re: somehow Mirai could have gotten the Bronze. sigh... Look, she was 5th in the Free Skate. It seems to me, the few people who wonder if Mirai could have gotten the Bronze seemed to forget that so called brilliant Bronze derserving FS is only 5th best in Vancouver, not even 4th place. And we haven't even considered the fact she was 6th in the SP. How do you go from 6th in the SP + 5th in FS = 3rd overall? There is just no legitimate claim whatsoever.

This topic was already discussed in the Ladies LP. But regarding Mao's popped toe loop. From rewatching it, I noticed that she really only tried it once which she popped. I dunno if her foot getting caught in the ice should be counted as an attempt. Whereas at Worlds, Yuna clearly started doing her spin on the first attempt.

But Wally, that's part of the question...look at that freeskate....it deserved better than 5th. And in order to get that podium, they could not give Miarai the scores she deserved, imo.
Can you or someone give a synopsis technically of Mirai's LP? Artistically I found it georgeous and SO MANY people thought it was the performance of the night. Yu-Na didn't skate with that freedom, charm, joie-de-vivre. Though it was technically different, I felt like I was watching Tara's lights out Nagano LP or Sarah's joyful, spunky SLC LP. I know she didn't do two triple/triples but the quality of all she did was superb and clean and authentically a joy to watch. Her GOE's should have been higher.

Can you or someone give a synopsis technically of Mirai's LP? Artistically I found it georgeous and SO MANY people thought it was the performance of the night. Yu-Na didn't skate with that freedom, charm, joie-de-vivre. Though it was technically different, I felt like I was watching Tara's lights out Nagano LP or Sarah's joyful, spunky SLC LP. I know she didn't do two triple/triples but the quality of all she did was superb and clean and authentically a joy to watch. Her GOE's should have been higher.

Can you please explain which element(s) or which component(s) you felt was underscored and by how much? And why should that add up to a Bronze medal?

Don't get me wrong, I have been asked this kind of question a lot and generally adopt a somewhat skeptical attitude towards any such claim. Since you or anyone else want to put forward such a claim, fine by me, but it's up to you or anyone else interested to justify how that 12.49 points difference can be overcome. Keep in mind, though Rochette' TES base value was in fact higher than Nagasu as well so despite failing to do her 2nd Double Axel, Nagasu still began at a lower base mark than Rochette, so unless you want to claim that the Technical panel also erred somewhere else, which is even harder to prove, all your justification will have to come from the GOE and perhaps, the Components as well and have to be sufficient to overcome the gap in the base value as well. As for the "SO MANY" people think like me claim, I can tell you that won't work. Skating is not a popularity contest, and if you really want to go that route, I will glady refer you the Time 100 poll since both Kim and Rochette are on there but Nagasu isn't.

Can you please explain which element(s) or which component(s) you felt was underscored and by how much? And why should that add up to a Bronze medal?

Don't get me wrong, I have been asked this kind of question a lot and generally adopt a somewhat skeptical attitude towards any such claim. Since you or anyone else want to put forward such a claim, fine by me, but it's up to you or anyone else interested to justify how that 12.49 points difference can be overcome. Keep in mind, though Rochette' TES base value was in fact higher than Nagasu as well so despite failing to do her 2nd Double Axel, Nagasu still began at a lower base mark than Rochette, so unless you want to claim that the Technical panel also erred somewhere else, which is even harder to prove, all your justification will have to come from the GOE and perhaps, the Components as well and have to be sufficient to overcome the gap in the base value as well. As for the "SO MANY" people think like me claim, I can tell you that won't work. Skating is not a popularity contest, and if you really want to go that route, I will glady refer you the Time 100 poll since both Kim and Rochette are on there but Nagasu isn't.

Exactly! Joannie attempted 7 triples in the LP whereas Mirai only attempted 6. Rochette did 3Lutz+2toe+2loop as opposed to Nagasu's 3Lutz+2toe+2toe. Jo repeats the 3Sal, which earns more points than Mirai's repeated 3toe. Rochette attempts 4 triples after the 2-minute mark bonus while Nagasu attempts 3 triples after that point. Jo skates with more maturity, power, and better edge work than Mirai, who at times still shows a junior level to her basic skating, I think.